The present invention relates to a recording medium conveying device which conveys a recording medium, such as an optical data recording disk (hereinafter referred to as "a disk", when applicable), to a playing position through an inserting opening formed in a player housing.
An example of a conventional recording medium conveying device of this type is as shown in FIGS. 35 through 37. As shown in FIGS. 35 and 36, a movable disk bearing member 253 adapted to bear a disk 252 is inserted into or protruded out of a player housing through an inserting opening 251a formed in the front panel 251 of the player housing. The disk bearing member 253 comprises: a container supporting member 255 in the form of a flat box which is mounted on a chassis (not shown), which chassis is a base body or support fixedly provided in the player housing, in such a manner that container supporting member 255 is movable forwardly and backwardly (or in the direction of the arrow Y and in the opposite direction); and a flat-plate-shaped container 256 for bearing the disk 252. The container 256 is coupled to the container supporting member 255 in such a manner that the container 256 is movable upwardly and downwardly (in the direction of the arrow Z and in the opposite direction). In addition, drive means (not shown) is provided which operates to move the container supporting member 255 with respect to the aforementioned chassis, and to move the container 256 with respect to the container supporting member 255.
With the disk bearing member 253 comprising the container supporting member 255 and the container 256 protruded from the player housing, a disk 252 is placed on the container. Under this condition, the container supporting member 255 is pushed backwardly to position the disk bearing member 253 inside the player housing. Thereafter, the container 256 is moved downwardly toward the container supporting member 255, thereby to set the disk 252 at the disk playing position. The aforementioned drive means comprises: a drive source, namely, an electric motor (not shown); and power transmitting means (not shown) for converting the torque of the motor into the power of linear motion, and transmitting it to the container supporting member 255 and the container 256.
With such a recording medium conveying device, during the operation of pulling out the disk bearing member and/or during the operation of pushing in the disk bearing member, the speed of movement of the disk bearing member 253 is reduced near the end of the operation to lessen the shock and noise so that the operation appears moderate. This will now be specifically described. FIG. 36 shows one example of a speed changing means for changing the speed of movement of the disk bearing member 253. The speed changing means, as shown in FIG. 36, comprises front and rear detecting switches 258 and 259, respectively, which are arranged in a line (in the direction of the arrow Y) in the player housing so as to engage with the rear end of the container supporting member 255 of the disk bearing member 253. That is, when the disk bearing member 253 is engaged with the front detecting switch 258 while being pushed into the housing, the voltage applied to the motor is decreased, and when it is engaged with the rear detecting switch 259, the application of current to the motor is suspended. However, the above-described speed changing means is disadvantageous in the following points: The speed of movement of the disk bearing member 253 is changed stepwise; that is, the operation of pushing in or pulling out the disk bearing member is not smooth. Since it is necessary to provide the two detecting switches 258 and 259, the manufacturing cost is likewise increased.
FIG. 37 shows another example of the speed changing means which is well known in the art. The speed changing means includes only one detecting switch 259 for stopping the disk bearing member 253. In order to reduce the speed of movement of the disk bearing member, a rotary oil damper 260 is provided, and a rack 255a is formed on the rear end portion of the container supporting member 255 of the disk bearing member 253 so as to engage with the gear of the oil damper 260. With such a speed changing means, during the operation of pushing in the disk bearing member 253 the rack 255a is engaged with the gear of the oil damper 26, thus reducing the speed of movement of the disk bearing member 253. Thereafter, the disk bearing member 253 engages with the detecting switch 259, to suspend the application of current to the motor. However, the above speed changing means is also disadvantageous in that the speed of movement of the disk bearing member is not continuously changed, and since it is necessary to provide the oil damper 260 and the rack 255a, the manufacturing cost is likewise increased.
Another example of the speed changing means may be considered which is designed as follows: In the speed changing means, unlike the above-described ones, the detecting switch 258 as shown in FIG. 36 and the oil damper 260 (and rack 255a) as shown in FIG. 37 are not employed, and instead the detecting switch 259 is positioned slightly before (in the direction of the arrow Y) that which is shown in FIG. 36 or 37. With such a speed changing means, upon engagement of the disk bearing member 253 with the detecting switch, the application of current to the motor is suspended, and then the disk bearing member 253 is allowed to run freely until it stops naturally. However, the speed changing means is still disadvantageous in that the speed of movement of the disk bearing member is not satisfactorily reduced, and it is rather difficult to accurately stop the disk bearing member in position.